


I Like You

by Musical_Fandom



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira is a dork trying to be cool, Akira is mature enough to accept being rejected, Bisexual akira, Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Oblivious, One-Sided Akira/Haru, One-Sided Akira/Makoto, Rejection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27732049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_Fandom/pseuds/Musical_Fandom
Summary: Some might say Akira is oblivious when it comes to love. Some of his teammates would agree.
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira, Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist, Niijima Makoto/Okumura Haru
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a wild day for Akira and Makoto. After saving Eiko from an apperent human trafficking scheme and slapping talking some sense into her, her (ex) boyfriend nearly got his ass kicked in the middle of the Red Light District. When Tsukasa threatened Makoto Akira got between them, more for his protection than hers. It would probably be better if they didn't get arrested. His record and all that. Luckily for everyone involved Tsukasa ran away before things could escalate further. Noticing the crowd forming, Akira decided it would be best if Makoto and him got out of there as well. That's how they ended up in Crossroads together. Lala had been nice enough to let them hide inside for a little while while people outside gossiped about what happened.

"I can't believe I actually hit one of my friends."

"It was the right thing to do."

"Really? I hope so... You know I have a bad habit of acting in the moment. I can't help but get swept up in the moment," She started. Akira thought back to when they dealt with Kaneshiro how she had gotten herself kidnapped to get close to the mafia boss. He had to admit, he liked that side of Makoto. She had more to her than the careful honor student. That's one of the reasons he had developed a crush on her. She took risks like him even if she wasn't as proud of it as he was. "That's why I always have to take extra care to keep myself composed. My father was the same way... That's not the proper way to act though. There's no telling what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in."

The idea of Makoto beating up Tsukasa was almost exciting for Akira. He wasn't attracted to violence but he would be lying if he said it wouldn't have made him like her more. 

"That aside, this place is... interesting. Where did you ever find somewhere like this? You know so much..." She said, sounding almost worried. Akira figured it would be concerning to find out the resident delinquent knew his way around the Red Light District.

"I'm a regular here." He half joked. Now maybe wasn't the time to tell her about why he came here. Makoto may not react well if she found out he came here to work and talk to a drunk journalist. That information could wait to be revealed another day.

"So you're a regular?" She asked in her own semi serious tone. Akira got the distinct feeling that she was flirting with him and he was all for it. "It's hard to believe you're really a highschooler. You have so much more life experience than me... Honestly spending time with you and getting to know Eiko has given me a great deal to think about. There's so much you can miss by living with your head buried between the pages of a book..."

He thought about when Makoto first asked him to help her relate to her peers. It was only a few months ago but through spending time with her and seeing her drive to help Eiko, he developed feelings. Akira admired Makoto's drive to help others and do what was right. He could see similarities between her and himself and that helped to draw him to her.

"I thought I knew how the world worked... but the more time I spent with you guys, the more I realized how naive I was. I see now that there are some things I need other people to teach me."

 _"I would be more than happy to teach you."_ He thought.

"Do you remember how Eiko said I would flunk a test about love? Well um... I don't entirely know how to study that subject. I can't learn about romance by myself..." She admitted, her cheeks turning red. Akira spotted an opening and took a shot.

"I'll be your study partner." He blurted out, trying to sound as cool as possible. Makoto looked up, shocked.

"Huh? U-uhm I'm not exactly the most well-versed in these matters, so allow me to confirm this..." She began. Her face was growing bright red and Akira couldn't help thinking that she looked cute when flustered. There was a reason he liked to tease her when they were dealing with Eiko. At least, before things got serious. "S-sorry if I'm mistaken but, um... Do you... like me?"

"I do." He confessed.

"O-oh." She said, seeming almost embarrassed. She gave and apologetic smile which made Akira's heart sink. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea Akira-kun but... That's not exactly what I meant."

Oh no. It wasn't like him to misread the situation this badly. Maybe it was stupid of him to confess here of all places. His thoughts started to spiral into panic. 

"I um... I get it." He said awkwardly. He had to leave before he made the situation worse. 

"Do you want me to walk you back to the station?" She asked, he got the feeling it was more out of politeness than anything else. There was no way he could accept her offer though. Not after he had made such a fool of himself. He knew that spending any more time with Makoto today would only lead to further embarrassment. Besides, he needed time to process her rejection.

"I'll be fine!" He said with far too much enthusiasm. He was already standing and heading towards the exit.

Akira left before Makoto could get another word in and went home by himself. This was not how he wanted his day to turn out. That night he laid in bed, ignoring any texts he got. He was not in the mood to hang out. He was also not in the mood for his traitor cat to start teasing him when he told him how the day had gone.

The next day Akira checked his phone and saw a text from Makoto. Reluctantly he opened their private chat (thank god she didn't use the group to talk one on one) and read what she had to say.

_I'm sorry about yesterday. Are you doing okay? I didn't mean to embarrass you like that, I was just unprepared for your proposal. I'm sorry I didn't let you down in a more gentle way. I hope this doesn't affect how you see me._

Akira liked to think he was mature. One embarrassing rejection would not ruin his friendship with Makoto. He grabbed his phone and went through dozens of potential replies and conversations in his head before he decided on the perfect response.

_:)_

In the coming days him and Makoto silently agreed to forget the whole ordeal in Crossroads. Soon things got back to normal and their hangouts were just as comfortable as before the whole ordeal. They even continued to hang out casually after the whole Eiko situation wrapped up and while his feelings didn't disappear overnight, he wasn't going to try to pursue a relationship she had no interest in. He was glad to at least have Makoto as a friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Haru Okumura was stunning. She was beautiful, kind, strong (physically and emotionally), and confident. When Akira first met her after the whole "Beauty Thief" incident he wasn't sure what to think. She had seemed a bit ditzy and reckless, wandering into the metaverse with Morgana without a persona and letting him talk her into that awful speech. But then he got to see another side of her once she joined the team. He saw the fierce and determined Haru that was willing to stand against her father to do what was right. It broke his heart to see Haru's distress after her father died.

Akira vowed that he would spend as much time with her as she needed. He wanted to help her forget about the pain of losing her father, if only briefly. The two often hung out on the roof together and discussed gardening and her new position at Okumura Foods. Sometimes he would see Makoto leaving as he came up, he thought it was nice that the others were welcoming Haru so easily. He was excited to learn she had gained an interest in coffee, Sojiro's lessons would certainly come in handy. When Haru learned her gardening could help the Phantom Thieves in the metaverse her happiness made Akira's heart flutter. It was then in LeBlanc that he realized he had a crush on her. Unfortunately she was engaged to a man she hated. He knew he had to help her out of her situation, not just because of his feelings for her but also to save her from being trapped by him for the rest of her life. Haru just wanted to make people happy, Akira would return the favor.

His determination to help Haru is what landed him in a meeting with her and President Takakura. She had asked him there for emotional support, a role he was more than willing to play. Akira watched as the two had coffee and he made sure to throw in the occasional encouragement. As much as she doubted her confidence, she did just fine with as long as she had a little encouragement. Akira watched Takakura talk about how much like her grandfather Haru was. Based on all the good things he had heard, it seemed to be high praise. It seemed Haru got her determination to make people happy from him.

Overall the meeting showed Takakura in a new light. His past interactions with Haru were misunderstandings. His push for Haru to give up her stocks in the company came from a place of misguided concerns. The rumors about him being thrilled about Okumura's passing also turned out to be false. It turned out that Takakura's goals aligned with Haru's. Both seemed to be determined to rebuild the company into something that made customers and employees happy. Akira was relieved to find out that the man had good intentions and that Haru had an ally in her company.

"Ah and... it seems I made yet another misunderstanding," Takakura began. Akira noticed Haru's confusion. He had thought they were through and apparently so did Haru. "I was under the impression that you were quite thrilled about the arrangement with Sugimura-kun..."

The mere mention of her fiance was enough to make Akira's blood boil. He thought back to his last encounter with the man and how he had insulted and threatened Haru and himself.

"That was why I was so insistent on hurrying the marriage. I wanted you to have all the support you needed..." He continued. Takakura may have had great intentions but he was horrible at gauging the situation it seemed. Akira could sympathise. He thought back to that day at Crossroads with Makoto and tried his best not to cringe. "But it appears as though you prefer the young man next to you instead."

Akira felt his heart nearly skip a beat at that comment. He couldn't help but smile at the idea of Haru dumping her fiance for him. The shock Haru felt from the comment was evident on her face.

"Be honest, Haru-chan. What are your thoughts on Sugimura-kun?" Takakura asked. If he saw the way that asshole treated her there would have been no need for the question.

"I think he's an intelligent man... But... I have no interest in him." She began. Haru was always so polite, even with people she couldn't stand. If Akira had been asked he would have had something a bit more harsh to say. "I have no interest in being his wife either. I would prefer to walk my own path. One in which the only person in control of my actions... is me. Not my father, and not Sugimura-san."

There was the determination he admired. Akira felt proud to have helped her bring out her true self, even if it was mostly her. She just needed the support.

"...I understand. You've grown so quickly, Haru-chan. I didn't realize you became such a strong, kind, mature woman. My apologies for not coming to see that sooner."

"But... what about the contract Sugimura-san made with my father? He said the repparations will be immense if I refuse the marriage..."

"I haven't heard a thing about this contract. Have you seen the document?"

"Well, now that you mention it... no I haven't."

"And neither your father nor our lawyers mentioned it to me." Takakura began. Akira realized what he was getting at. Now that he thought about it, a contract that threatened to take away all of Okumura's assets if his teen daughter didn't marry someone was ridiculous. There's no way anyone like Okumura would have agreed to that. "It seems he was lying... and may have had the help of particular people in the company. You see, those who don't agree with my vision brought him into meetings with the hope that he would eventually take over. However... we don't need a politician in our midst, particularly considering the humble roots of our corporation. As for the marriage cancellation, I'll handle it. It may take some time, but it will be done... I promise."

"Thank you!"

A wave of relief washed over Akira and he could tell that Haru felt the same. He could hardly contain the joy he felt for Haru. Thank god she would never have to marry someone like that guy.

Soon Takamura went home, leaving Haru and Akira all alone in the large house. He suddenly noticed how beautiful Haru looked when she was happy. She sat down on the couch and gave him a determined look which brought him back to Haru's awakening.

"Today was a huge success. I was able to tell Takamura-san how I feel, and he actually understood. Not only about the company but Sugimura-san as well. I was afraid... but now that it's over, I think it was honestly pretty simple. I only made it to this point because you were with me though. Thank you Akira-kun."

"You did amazing."

"You did too, you know?" She giggled. "Anyway, um... I only started trusting people again because you were at my side helping me. So, I want to return the favor. Please confide in me if you ever need help. I'll be there for you."

Akira smiled at Haru, it was nice to hear how much he had helped even if he thought she did most of the work. She had come a long way since they had met and he was happy that she could finally fully be her own person.

"Oh, that reminds me! Takamura-san said something... a little strange, didn't he?" She began to blush. "Th-th-that I... like you... Goodness, why would he say that? What do you think?"

Akira recognized the feeling he got. He had to tell Haru how he felt. This time he wouldn't botch things like he did with Makoto. He had to take a shot.

"I like you too, Haru."

"Huh?! Oh, I, um! Do you... really mean that?"

That was not quite the reaction he was hoping for. Immediately not off to the best start but he could salvage this. He nodded affirmative to answer Haru's question.

"I-I see..." She began. When he saw how... uncomfortable(?) she looked, he knew it was over. "I'm very sorry Akira-kun, you're a great friend, really! I just... I don't see you that way."

That was not his moment apparently. He probably should have guessed that with how confused she was about the comment. Of course she didn't feel the same way. Maybe he wasn't as good at reading situations as he thought he was.

"I... understand." He said, trying not to let the disappointment show in his voice. He wasn't going to try to argue her own feelings with her.

Akira got up to leave and gave an awkward wave before he left. She returned it looking just as awkward. He noticed her immediately pull out her phone and start texting as soon as he was in the doorway. She was still blushing but at least she was smiling a little.

The train ride home was just as silent and embarrassing as last time. At least this time he hadn't left the girl he liked alone in the Red Light District of Shinjuku. When he got back Morgana noticed disappointment and went to comfort him. This time he was a bit more sympathetic when Akira told him the story. He still teased him of course, just not as much. That night he ignored his texts again and went to bed.

When Akira woke up in the morning he had a text from Haru. He opened it quickly just to read it and get it over with.

_I'm sorry about what happened, I hope we can still be good friends!_

Akira smiled at the text. He couldn't be angry at Haru for how she felt even if it did sting a little. At least he could still be friends with her. He grabbed his phone and thought about his reply.

_You don't need to apologise and of course we're still friends!_

Things were admittedly awkward for a few days. It was worse than Makoto's rejection because his friends actually caught onto this one. He noticed Makoto and Haru spending more time together during his awkward period with Haru. Had they always been so close? Maybe they were bonding over their shared experience with Akira. When things returned to normal between Akira and Haru, she and Makoto still spent a lot of time together. Akira decided he would take his rejections in stride and use them as reference for what not to do. Failure could be a lesson too and he was grateful to Makoto and Haru for teaching him it.


	3. Chapter 3

"I just don't know what to do." Akira admitted as he sat across from Ann. The two had met up for dessert at a nearby cafe instead of going to metaverse. He absolutely deserved a break, he was going to die in a couple days after all. "You seem like the type to know about romance, could you help?"

Two months ago he had been rejected by Makoto and a week ago he had been rejected by Haru. Now he had feelings for yet another teammate and he wanted to get things right this time. He wasn't sure how he had been blind to it before, but he was absolutely certain that at some point he had developed romantic feelings for Yusuke.

"Well first, is he single, because that was your problem last time." Ann explained casually. 

"Wait, what? I don't think Haru's fiance counts."

Ann started to laugh. Akira wasn't sure what the joke was but he knew it was at his expense. As Ann's laughter died down he heard her mumble about boys before she composed herself.

"That's not what I meant," She said between giggles. "Haru and Makoto."

"What about them?"

"Oh my god, are you that blind Akira? They've been dating for almost a month."

Akira was not sure what to do with that information. They had been dating? Was that why they were so close? Was that why Haru instantly had a cute nickname for Makoto? Was that why Haru was confused at the idea of liking Akira in a romantic way? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The looks they gave each other suddenly seemed a lot less platonic. He realized that he might have seen the hold hands a few times in the metaverse. He began to panic, who else was dating that he didn't know about? Was he the only single one on the team? Ann noticed his intense confusion and had another laughing fit.

Once she was done laughing at Akira's expense again she started to think about something.

"I don't think you'll have a problem with Yusuke. Just ask him and I'm sure he'll say yes."

"Are you sure, I don't have the best record."

"Well this time it's asking out someone who’s definitely into you. You should be fine."

How could she be so confident about this, she didn't actually have proof Yusuke liked him as more than a friend. Sure they had gone on the swan boats together but that was to capture love. They went to the museum a lot but that was because Yusuke was an artist who needed inspiration. There was Desire and Hope but that was about all of them. He may have said Akira inspired him once or twice but that... The more he thought about it, the more he realized Ann was right. How the hell could he be this oblivious, he was supposed to be good at reading people. It must have been a goddamn miracle he saw through Akechi if this was his level of observation skills.

When Ann and Akira parted ways Akira paid the tab and Ann wished him good luck. When he got home that evening he grabbed his phone and prepared to invite Yusuke over. This time, he would get it right.


End file.
